Now She Knows
by Bluest-of-Jayys
Summary: Her brush with death is enough to make them re-evaluate how they've been treating each other. MatauxNokama, oneshot.


_This is a story I wrote in July or something while I was re-reading the Bionicle books. It was originally in my old yellow notebook, where it kinda sucked, then I edited it and brought it here. Paragraph formatting is probably crap. Bear with me.  
_

_Pairing is MatauxNokama. _

_I don't own Bionicle. If I did, ROMANCE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DECANONIZED. _

_-shakefist-_

**Now She Knows**

**Nerdgirl-Hime**

The brutal clamor of the fight and the blurry movement of her teammates grappling for their lives faded out of her focus as Toa Nokama lay prone on the stone floor, stunned. The sharp pain in her back was the only thing she could focus on. Clear as day, she could even feel little microbes traveling into her back to infect the wound. In fact, she could even visualize it happening. It just made the injury hurt more. She was hurt and exhausted. Drawing in ragged breaths, she tried to move but couldn't.

Maybe it was just best to stay as she was and sleep.

Matau used his powers to send a powerful cyclone at the Rahi-Nui then dodged a blow from its front paw and ran over to Nokama. She lay where she fell when the beast had struck her down. Matau gasped.

Nokama didn't look well at all. Her heartlight was flashing and she was barely breathing. He bit his lip and took her hand--It was colder than usual.

"Matau!"

He whipped around at Nuju's cry, only to be swat into unconsciousness by a massive paw.

Nokama awoke again. Gone were the sounds of battle, replaced with quiet talking. She could feel the bouncing of a being trudging along, yet she knew she could never muster the energy to walk. Cracking her eyes open slightly, she could see dirty green armor and feel the owner of that armor's arms carrying her as if she were the most precious treasure in the world. And as Nokama slipped back into unconsciousness, she heard somebody say,

"I will keep my Toa-friend safe."

The Toa walked through the underground tunnels, talking quietly as to not disturb Nokama. Onewa sidled over to Matau and walked alongside him.

"What are you doing here?" Matau asked. Onewa rolled his eyes.

"You don't need to put it that way," He replied, clasping his hands behind his head. "I'm just here because I think that if I hang out with you, I'll help Nokama make it."

"That's kind of proud-vain."

"Look who's talking," Onewa scowled. "You're the one who's been expecting Nokama to swoon at your every move."

"What do you mean?" Matau questioned. "I haven't been doing that!"

Onewa raised an eyebrow and glared.

"Okay, maybe I have, but... I love her!" Matau's grip around Nokama tightened and he glared at the Stone Toa. "She's my Toa-friend and I love her!"

"Then show it more." Onewa said, looking straight ahead.

"I will. Heart-promise."

Nokama started with a moan. The pain in her back had spread through her body. She was still moving, and now she felt cold save for the warm being carrying her in their arms. Pressing closer to that warmth, she surrounded herself in the sounds of the Toa Metru's quiet chatter and their armored feet softly scraping the floor.

Through blurry eyes, she saw that it was Matau who had been carrying her all this time. Onewa walked beside him.

Nokama wanted to protest, to get up and walk on her own, but all she could do was shiver slightly and moan again.

"Shh." Matau said softly, rocking Nokama as if she were a baby. "Save your energy. From now on, I'll... We'll protect you."

Nokama smiled at his words, unaware of the the promise she had been made, as the blackness came and took her consciousness away.

Sensing sudden movement, Nokama came to again. She was no longer in Matau's arms, but instead was being spirited away by some... thing.

_Maybe it's the Rahi-Nui again..._ She thought with an unusual calm.

Even as the strange being carried her away, Matau's voice could be heard, yelling at her captor.

Nokama didn't bother trying to bolt away, even as she felt the movement stop. She knew she was dying and silently said her goodbyes to each of her teammates as the numbness invaded her body. She thought about overconfident Vakama, cynical Nuju, humble Whenua, impatient Onewa, and... Matau. He was proud, fun-loving, courageous... And he loved her. It was written all over his mask, past his annoying attempts at flirting, he really did care for her...

What she thought was her last and final slip into death was halted when she felt a few drops of cooling liquid wash down her throat. Strength flooded into her limbs as her eyes snapped open and she found herself lying on the stone floor, surrounded by the other Toa Metru and... Some tree-looking thing.

Matau, overcome with joy, tried to embrace her, but she pushed him away with a cry of disgust. Matau shrugged and helped her to her feet while briefly explaining the situation.

"We have to find a vial and fill it with energized proterdermis from one of Makuta's lairs." He said.

"I have cured her affliction temporarily." A twisted, cracking, voice rang through her mind, it was the tree-like thing on the wall behind them.

"So once time runs out, she'll..." Nuju whispered. The vegetation on the wall rustled in approval.

The six Toa Metru turned around and stalked off into the tunnel.

Into the journey, Nokama noticed that Matau lingered around her with a happy, dumb smile on his face. Once in a while, he would stop to wipe a tear from his eye.

"Hey."

Nokama jumped when she felt Onewa rest his elbow on her shoulder.

"I saw what you did back there." He said.

"What I did?"

"Pushed him away. When you awoke."

Nokama remained silent. Onewa sighed and lead her away so no one else but Nokama could hear what he had to say.

"Look, I know it's not really my business, but I was walking next to Matau while you were dying." He said. "I watched him come out of his shell and treat you better than his own Kanohi. He loves you, Nokama. He even yelled it in the tunnels. Twice.

"He let nothing, not even the other toa, touch you, and now you're brushing him off like you usually do. Sorry for being harsh, Nokama. But now you know." Onewa closed his eyes and strode away to join Vakama.

_He did all that?_ Nokama thought. _Come to think of it, Matau's done so much for me and I've repaid him with shabby treatment. Onewa's right. _

"Matau!" Nokama called, racing over to her friend.

"Huh? Nokama? Guh!" Matau exclaimed as Nokama hugged him hard, knocking the wind out of him.

"I'm so sorry, Matau." She murmured. "Sorry for all those times when you treated me like a treasure and I repaid you with contempt. By Mata Nui, I'm going to treat you better from now on."

"Apology accepted." Matau replied, smiling.

"Also, Nokama began. "Can I ask you a question?"

"That I what?" Matau could feel something form in his gut. He voiced a hope that Nokama wouldn't ask _that_ question. It was one of his deepest fears.

"What do you think of me?" She asked meekly.

Matau uttered a curse that would get him thrown out of a Ga-Metru school, not something to do in front of a former teacher.

"Um... Uh..." Matau stuttered. "I think you are an amazing person, and... Uh... Yeah."

"Really? Is there more?" Nokama inquired. "And tell me the truth, Matau."

"Really!" Matau replied, louder than he had wanted to.

"I don't think so." Nokama stated analytically. She leaned in close. "You like me." She whispered. Grinning, she turned around and walked away after the other Toa. "We're losing ground, you little liar."

"Okay, I guess I can't keep lying." Matau sighed. "I love you, Toa-hero Nokama. You are a very special person. Please accept this and don't hit me." He screwed his eyes shut and waited for the sarcastic comment and punch to the mask, but what he got instead was a gentle kiss to the forehead.

"I accept." Nokama whispered. Lacing her fingers with his, they walked like that all the way to Makuta's lair.

**The End**

_AN: First story I thought was competent enough to serve as a debut. Thank you for reading, please leave constructive reviews that will help me grow as a writer. Just be gentle. XD;;_


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